Improvement in mining-picks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HOFMAN, OF SCOTT BAR, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MINING-PICKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,481, dated May 12, 1863.

To all whom it 77mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HOEMAN, of Scott Bar, in the county of Siskiyou and State ofOalifornia, have invented a new and Improved Pick for Mining and other Purposes and I do herebyV declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had t0 the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure l represents a perspective view of the pick, and Fig. 2 represents a section taken longitudinally through the points or pick blade.

Similar letters of reference Where they occur in the separate figures denote like parts of the piek in both of the drawings.

I am aware that picks have been held to a metallic head by means of a strap, key, or wedge, so that they may be removed to be sharpened or replaced by others, an early instance of which may be found in the patent of S. Etheridge, of the 2d of March, 1836, and I am also aware that hammers, axes, awls, turning-tools, and many other varieties of implements have been secured to their handles or stocks by straps, keys, screws, wedges, and gibs. 0f course, I lay no claim broadly to any of these devices separately considered, but have made an improvement upon these well-known things, for which improvement I ask for Letters Patent.

My invention consists in making a metallic head out ot' one piece of metal that has upon one of its sides or ends a mortise or strap in which a pick or other similar tool may be keyed or wedged, and upon its other side or end a close socket, in which a handle may be driven and keyed or wedged, the object bein g, as in the instances abovereferred to, to make one head and handle serve for using a series of tools, which may be readily attached to or detached therefrom, as circumstances may require.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A is a metallic head composed of a single piece, on one side or end of which is wrought a strap, a, that forms a mortise capable of ref ceivin g the pick or point B, and a key or wedge, c, and on the other side or end of which is wrought a close socket, b, for containing the handle D. The picks or points B are drawn out from a bar of iron or steel of the size or thereaboutv that the points are at their thickest portion, and a recess, c, is made on the arched side of the point that will snugly t against the end of the strap portion a ot' the head A. When the point B is inserted iu the mortise and the recess c is slipped out against the strap, the key O is driven in, as shown in the drawings, and the pick or point is thus securely attached to the head A.

To prevent the key C from jumping out by the jar incident to'the use of the pick, a pin, c, is driven through the head Ain such position that about one-half of its diameter will bear against or in the key, and its other halfdiameter or thereabout against or in the head,

which ett'ectually prevents the key C from becoming loose in its seat.

To remove the pick or point from the head, the pin e is first started out, then the key O is backed out, and the pick is loose and can be removed.

To secure the handle D in the socket b, a round or oval tenon, g, is first worked on its end, and a metallic wedge, f, is stuck into the end ofsaid tenon, and as the tenon is driven into the socket the wedge is driven into the tenon, which spreads its end in the socket and keys or wedges it tightly therein.

To prevent the a-ir from being compressed in the socket and springing out the handle as it is being driven into it, I make one or two ventholes, i, therein for its escape.

My entire pick is composed of but sir pieces, counting in the wedge fand pin c, which are but small simple parts, and only designed as additional securities against the handle and key becoming loose by use.

The economy of a pick of this kind, where the facilities for making and repairing such tools are not at hand. are so obvious that they need not be particularly mentioned. One handle or head is sufficient for a score of picks or points. A

In making picks the forming of the eye is tedious and expensive, and to make it large enough and strong enough quite a large bar is necessary to form it, and this requires much drawing down to make the shanks or points.

When a gib and key are used for a fastening, the mortise to receive them and the pick too must be large and heavy. Byv a key and pin much less Weight is required, because the mortise may be much sm aller.

As a. mining-piel, my tool as herein described and constructed is highlyr valued by those who have used it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with a removable eyeless pick or point, a metallic head composed of one piece, and having wrought upon ib e strap or mortise to receive the pick or point, and n tight socket to receive the handle, the several parts being` secured to said head, substantially in J[he mduncr herein described and represented.

GEORGE HOFMAN. Witnesses:

WM. H. FRINK,

F. WILKIE,

(inns. TRUVELLI,

J. M. C. JONES. 

